Animatable musical toy



April 1955 E. HANDLER ETAL 2,705,387

ANIMA' IABLE MUSICAL TOY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 13, 1953 LL/0THANDLER, JOSEPH KOSSOFF 8 LESTER ISTORMON! INVENTORS.

' HUEBNE'R,BEEHLER,

WORREL 8 HERZIG' A TTORNEKS'.

By M P 1955 E. HANDLER ETAL 2,705,337

ANIMATABLE MUSICAL TOY Filed April 13, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 16 1 5; 17I 7 j; I i 10 57/ i l a 32 i is; 3/ 1r-1 '1 II 19 i E 5 1. ii 30 65 11"I q: 6'! 1 I: -,---1p 7 F 45 p 6" a! l 1; -53

ELLIOT HANDLER;

JOSEPH KOSSOFF 8 LESTER ZSTORMON,

INVENTORJ.

HUEBNER,BEHLER, WORR'L a HERZIG ATTORNL-KS.

APrll 1955 E-. HANDLER ETAL 2,705,337

ANIMATABLE MUSICAL TOY 7 Filed April 15, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ELLIOTHANDLER,

JOSEPH KOSSOFF 8 1.5875? TIST'ORMON INVENTORS.

HUEBNER, BEEF/L 5R WOIPREL a Hafiz/c,

11 By A TTORNEYS- United States Patent ANIMATABLE MUSICAL TOY ElliotHandler, Joseph Kossolf, and Lester T. Stormon, Los Augeles, Calif.

Application April 13, 1953, Serial No. 348,322

12 Claims. (Cl. 46-118) This invention relates to animated toys, andmore particularly to such a toy incorporating a music box upon theactuation of which, at a preselected time during the playing of amusical arrangement, means are actuated by the mechanism associated withthe music box for tripping an animating means, which animation isthereby synchronized with, and bears reference to, the musical melodyincorporated into the music box.

Many nursery rhymes or stories of other types can be associated with amusical accompaniment or counterpart in such a manner that the musictold or sung to the tune of a musical accompaniment will point up andillustrate any selected aspect. This is best accomplished byincorporating into a toy, or the like, suggestive of the story or song,a musical accompaniment also suggestive thereof. Preferably at a highpoint in the story, or song, or other musical arrangement, animation ofthe toy or the like, which is otherwise quiescent or which may beincidentally animated in a secondary fashion, is made to change, eitherby change of pace in the primary animation or by the sudden occurrencein the mechanism of a phenomenon, serving to illustrate, educate, oramuse.

Obviously, the above stated principles are applicable in particular totoys adapted for the amusement of children, but, within the skill of onefamiliar with the art to which such principles apply, may readily beadapted for the instruction or amusement of adults as Well as children.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide an animatabledevice whose action is coordinated in a predetermined manner and at apredetermined point in the rendition of a musical selection to heighteninterest in the device and its associated story or musical arrangement,to release or energize means to accomplish the desired effect.

It is also among the objects of this invention to provide a musical toy,or the like, of new and improved construction incorporating a scene orobject associated with a musical accompaniment in such a manner that themusic is suggestive of a desired action which the mechanism producingthe music is adapted to initiate.

To illustrate preferred modes of carrying out the above objects andobjectives in preferred examples, it is an object of the invention toprovide a new and improved toy associated with the nursery rhymes alsotaken by way of example: Hickory, Dickory, Dock, and Blackbirds Baked ina Pie.

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide, respectively,a clock and a pie, each of which incorporates a new and improved musicalunit, a new and improved association of said musical unit with new andimproved means for illustrating said rhymes, and new and improved visualand auditory means for illustrating and punctuating a particularselected episode in said rhymes.

It is likewise one of the objects of this invention to provideimprovements over prior art devices heretofore intended to accomplishgenerally similar purposes, in-

objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set 2 forth, pointedout in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of a musical toy clock embodying thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a similar front view of said clock showing the parts in adifferent operative position.

Figure 3 is a front view of the clock, the face and hands being removedto show the internal operative mechanism.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken as on a line 44of Figure 1 Figure 5 is a similar fragmentary sectional view taken as ona line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detailed fragmentary view of a portion of the actuatingmechanism.

Figure 7 is a detailed fragmentary view of another portion of theactuating mechanism.

Figure 8 is a second preferred form of musical toy embodying thisinvention, comprising a vertical sectional view thereof.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on a line 9-9 of Figure8.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a central portion of thestructure of the preceding Figures 8 and 9, taken as on a line 10--10 ofFigure 8.

Figure 11 is a detailed fragmentary view in vertical section as on aline 1111 of Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a musicaltoy clock comprising a frame or body portion 10, a base 11, and a shieldor superstructure 12.

The body 10 comprises a back 13, a face 14, and an annular wall 15.

In the embodiment illustrated, it has been found advantageous to makethe back and face of sheet metal and the annular side 15 of cardboard.

Mounted upon the back 13 as by rivets 16, are brackets 17 and 18 invertical spaced relationship aoapted to retain a resilient flexible belt19 having integral resilient plucking protuberances 20 formed thereon,trained in some tension over an axle 20 journaled in notches 21 formedin the bracket 17 and a shaft 22 journaled in the bracket 18.

A musical scale or comb 23 of any desired construction, as having a castzinc base 24 and pluckable wires 25, is mounted as on said bracket 18,with the free ends 26 of the wires positioned in pluckable relationshipto the protuberances 20 on the belt 19 in response to the rotation ofthe belt about the axle 20 and shaft 22 by means of a crank portion 27extending through the side wall 15 at a suitable opening there provided.

The particular tune employed in the instant toy is suitable for therhyme Hickory, Dickory, Dock, but the belt 19 also carries a preferablyenlarged and thickened protuberance 28 of a height greater than that ofprotuberances 20, said thickened portion disposed at a predeterminedposition along and integral with the belt 19 for the purpose ofactuating a trip mechanism, as will be seen.

In view of the securement of the musical comb 25 to the back 13 of theclock by means of the rivets 16, said back 13 serves as a resonator,preferably under stress, for the musical comb.

Also secured to the back 13, as by means of said rivets 16, is a bracket30 optionally comprising a sheet metal body having a depending arm 31riveted to said back 13, as stated, an inwardly directed, substantiallyhorizontal arm 32 having an opening 33 therein, adapted for the freelyslidable reception of a rod 34 extending upwardly through a slottedopening 35 in the annular side 15 to support said superstructure 12. Thelatter is preferably formed of a bell-shaped plastic or the likematerial, and is secured to the upper end of the rod 34 as by means of aboss 36.

Said arm 32 also carries an upstruck ear 37 to which is secured, as by arivet 38, a leaf spring 39. The leaf spring is longitudinally slotted at40 to accommodate an arm 41 extending forwardly and preferably forming apart of the rod 34.

Said slot 40 in the leaf spring permits a vertical reciprocal movementof the rod 34, which is normally springurged to the upper end limit ofthe slot 40 to a position shown in solid outline in Figure 5, forexample.

For such purpose, a coil spring 42 is disposed about the rod 34 betweenabutments defined by a washer 43 held by detents 44 formed on the rod atthe upper end of the spring and the arm 32 of the bracket 30 at thelower end of the spring.

The leaf spring 39 is preferably normally inclined from the vertical, asshown in solid outline, for example, in Figures 4 and 5, but upon thelowering of the superstructure 12 and rod 34, as by manual downwardpressure thereon, the arm 41 at the bottom of the rod is forced down toa position as shown in dotted outline at 45 in Figure 5, or in solidoutline as shown, for example, in Figure 4, thereby deflecting the leafspring 39 to the left, as shown, for example, in dotted outline at 46 inFigure 5, or in solid outline as shown in Figure 4. For such purposes ofdeflection of the leaf spring a washer 47, held bv a detent 48, issecured on the arm 41. Such deflection biases the rod 34 so as to engagea notch 50 therein, under the horizontal arm 32 of the bracket 30,thereby releasably retaining the superstructure 12 and rod 34 in adepressed condition as shown in Figures 1, 3 or 4.

The arm 41 of the rod 34 loosely extends into a slot 52 formed in acardboard member 53 or the like, which has, for example, eyes 54, andteeth 55, painted on a front side thereof in one position correspondingto the face of a cat 56, also painted on the front side of the clockface 14. Said eyes and teeth are visible through said face by means ofeye openings 57 and a mouth opening 58 cut in said clock face when thesuperstructure is in the up position (Figures 2 and In a second, ordown, position of the superstructure (Figures 1, 3 and 4), saidcardboard member 53 has blank portions (see Figure 1) at 59 visiblethrough said eye openings 57 and, for example, a tongue 60 visiblethrough the mouth opening 58.

For the purpose of causing the desired rotation of said cardboard member53 from a position corresponding to that shown in dotted outline inFigure 1, to the dotted position thereof shown in Figure 2, a rivet orother form of pin 62 extends through an opening 63 in the cardboardmember and is secured in the clock face at an appropriate locationoptionally separate from, or common with, a pm 65 mounting a pair ofpreferably plastic arms 66 and 67, comprising the hands of the clock.

The cardboard member, to accomplish the above desired purpose ofrotation, may be folded back, as at 68, and inwardly, as a 69, so thatupon downward movement of the arm 41, the same will rest in an inner end70 of the slot 52 and upon rotation to its uppermost limit, the arm 41may rest in the outer end 71 of said slot.

The base 11 may be secured as by a screw and washer 73 to a bottomportion of the annular wall 15. A figurine of a mouse 75 may becemented, as at 76, in a suitable slot provided through the annular wall15. A leaf of sheet metal 79 is centrally slotted as at 80 and isadapted to fit over and slidably receive the rod 34. The offset portionof the leaf prevents withdrawal thereof through the opening 35 in thewall 15. The lower end 81 of said leaf being heavier than the upper end82 gives the leaf a substantially vertical position when the arm 34 isin its most depressed position, but said lower end is struck by thewasher 43 at the upper end of the spring 42 in the uppermost position ofthe rod 34 so as to cause the upper end 82 of said leaf to strike thebell 77.

In the operation of the above described mechanism, the superstructure 12is first manually depressed so that the rod 34 is held in said depressedposition by the lateral biasing of the leaf spring 39 which serves toretain the notch 50 in engagement with the arm 32 of the bracket 30. Insuch depressed condition, as shown in Figure 4, the coil spring 42 iscontracted and the cardboard member 53 is rotated by the engagement ofthe end of the arm 41 in the slot 52 so that the cats face 56 shows theeyes 59 closed and the tongue 60 visible through the respective openings57 and 58 in the face of the clock.

Upon rotation of the crank 27, the musical comb 23 is plucked by thebelt 19.

When the enlarged protuberance 28 on the belt engages the rod 34, thenotch 50 in the latter is freed from engagement with the arm 32 againstthe tension of the leaf spring 39. The coil spring 42 thereupon suddenlyforces the arm 32 to its uppermost position, shown in Figures 2 and 5,carrying the superstructure 12 with it and exposing the mouse 75. Thewasher 43 strikes the leaf 79 which in turn hits the bell 77, ringingit. Simultaneously, the arm 41 moves upwardly and by its engagement inthe slot 52 rotates the member 53 and brings the cats eyes and teethinto view, as shown in Figure 2, thereby awakening the cat.

The musical tune, notwithstanding the above occurrences, may be playedto its end by the continued rotation of the crank 27, and then, or atany other desired time, the superstructure 12 may be manually depressedto re-set the above mechanism for a succeeding operation.

Referring now to the form of toy illustrated in Figures 8 through 11, asimulated piecrust 100, made of a sheet material such as metal, plastic,or the like, is secured around its circumferential periphery, as bymeans of suitable flanges 101, to a simulated pie tin 102, which can bemade of a similar material.

A horizontal partition 103 is likewise preferably secured in said flangearea 101 to the crust and pie tin 102, optionally therearound. A movableframe or platform 104 is normally urged upwardly as by a coil spring105, which bears centrally and downwardly against the horizontalpartition 103, and the coils of which normally encircle a verticalmanipulable stem member generally designated at 106.

Birdlike figurines 107 are individually suitably mounted at pivotedpositions 108 in the frame 104. Each figurine has a projection or toeportion 109, adapted in an upwardly extended position of the frame 104,to be carried upward by said frame and spring into engagement with thesuperjacent crust 100, as illustrated in dotted outline in Figure 8,whereby the figurines 107 are tilted upwardly and radially outwardly ontheir respective pivots through individual slots 110 in the crust, sothat they visibly portray in said upwardly and outwardly pivotedposition illustrated in dotted outline at 111, the wellknown nurseryrhyme Blackbirds Baked in a Pie.

The figurines 107 may be made most advantageously of a plastic material,and while three-dimensional in configuration and relief, are mostadvantageously relatively thin (on the order of inch to inch thick), sothat they may pass readily upwardly through their correspondmgindividual slots 110, which are preferably kept to a minimum width, ofsay inch to inch.

Mounted preferably upon the underside of the horizontal partition 103,as by rivets 112, is a musical comb 113 having, for example, a base 114of optional cast construction, and a plurality of pluckable wires or thelike elements 115 of varying lengths terminating in a common straightline at 116, adjacent any suitable plucking mechanism, such as a rubberbelt 117, having integral plucking protuberances 118 thereon, mountedfor rotation upon an axle 119 and 120, in a manner to pluck the wires115 for playing any desired preselected tune, in this case the tune ofthe well-known nursery rhyme Blackbirds Baked in a Pie.

Also mounted upon said belt 117, preferably integrally with the belt butalso optionally adjustably thereon in any desired and suitable clampedfashion, is an enlarged protuberance 121 of a height greater than thatof protuberance 118, whose function, as will be seen, is to trip themechanism releasing the frame 104 and the birds 107 at a predeterminedpoint in the rendition of the musical melody.

The manipulable member 106 comprises, for example, opposed sheet metalmembers 125 and 126, secured to alga frame 104 as by means of a flange127 and rivet A wire 129 is held as by means of a channel 130 in one orboth members 125 and 126, and has an upper bent end 131 fitting into acorrespondingly shaped upper channel end 132, to retain said wirebetween said sheet metal members 125 and 126 in such a manner that thewire is carried with said members against lateral or longitudinalmovement when said members are riveted together as at 133.

The wire 129 is offset at 135 so as to engage, as a detent, theunderside of the partition 103, through which it extends as by means ofan opening 136 in a manner normally and resiliently yieldably under thedisengaging action of the enlarged protuberance 121 so as to retain theframe 104 including the birds 107 and the handle 106 in a releasabledepressed condition against the tension of the coil spring 105. The end137 of the wire is bent to provide a cam whereby simple manualdepression of the handle 106, as by means of a knob 138 provided on theupper end thereof for such purpose, permits the wire 129 to returnthrough the opening 136 for resetting the apparatus in a compressedcondition of the coil spring 105 and the frame 104.

The handle knob 138 conveniently comprises opposed halves 140 and 141,including telescoping portions 142 and 143 respectively, which, whencement is applied to their ad acent spaces, may be inserted through anopenmg 144 provided for such purpose in the members 125 and 126.

The lower end 145 of the manipulable member or handle 106 remainsvertical and slidable within the opening 136 in the partition 103, evenin the most upward extended position thereof in order to serve as aguide cooperative as with a collar 146 in the center of the crust 110,in which said handle 106 is also vertically slidable.

The belt 117 is rotatable by any suitable means, such as a crank 147,journaled in the side walls of the pie portion 102, as shown mostclearly in Figures 9 and 11, and retained against axial withdrawaltherefrom, as by means of suitable ears 148 raised thereon.

Ears 149 turned down and suitably apertured to provide journaledopenings for the rotatable retention of the altfille 119, facilitaterotation of said axle by the crank The rubber belt 117 may be bothinserted or, if desired, replaced by stretching the belt 117 and therebyreleasing the axle 120 through a suitable slot 150 provided in thebracket 151, for example, which rotatably retains said axle 120.

In the operation of the last described embodiment of Figures 8 through11, rotation of the crank 147 drives the axle 119 and thereby also thebelt 117, which, as it passes around the axle 119, plucks, by means ofthe protuberances 118 thereon, preselected of the wires 115 of themusical comb 113.

At a predetermined point in the playing of the music, the enlargedprotuberance 121 engages against the wire 129 so as to free thedetent-forming offset 135 from its engagement under the horizontalpartition 103.

Thereupon, the frame 104 together with the handle 106 and the birds 107are elevated by means of the coil spring 105, which theretofore has beencompressed, as shown in Figure 8.

The toe portions 109 of the birds are thereby caused to engage with thecrust 100 adjacent the lower end of their corresponding slots 110, asshown most clearly in dotted outline at the right hand side of Figure 8,thereby tilting the birds upwardly to the position 111, as shown indotted outline also at the right hand side of Figure 8, around theirrespective pivots 108. The birds thus appear in said latter dottedposition through their respective slots 110 in the crust 100.

The last described sequence, accompanied by upward movement of the coilspring 105, does not or need not interrupt the playing of the musicaltune by means of the belt 117 and comb 113.

When it is desired to reset the device, the handle 106 is manuallydepressed by means of the knob 138, whereupon the wire 129 is, by meansof its lower bent end 137, cammed through the opening 136 in thepartition 103 until its inherent resilience, after sulficient depressionof the handle, causes its re-engagement at the olfset 135 with the edgeof the opening 136 in the partition 103. The depression of the handle,as aforesaid, against the tension of the coil spring 105--and becausethe center of weight of the birds 107 is over the slot 110 and towardsthe center of the piepermits the birds to pivot gravitationally aroundtheir pivots 108 and to disappear through their respective slots 110.

Upon the protuberance 121 again engaging the wire 129, through furtherturning of the crank, the above mechanism is again released and theabove described sequence, accompanied by reappearance of the birds,through their slots, is also repeated.

As indicated in the preceding description and objects, the toys selectedas illustrative include a frame in which a music-making unit is mountedand in which or on which visual and auditory means are mounted forillustory punctuation of said selected episode in the story told by themusic, by the term animatable means in the claims is to be understoodsuch a sound as the ringing of a bell or the like, such as 77, bymovable means 79, or the movement of the simulated bell 12, the catseyes, or the figurines such as the birds 107.

Although we have herein shown and described our invention in what wehave conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of ourinvention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed hereinbut is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace anyand all equivalent structures and devices.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a musical apparatus of the character described comprising, framemeans, musical means mounted on the frame means including means formoving said musical means, said musical means including plucking meansextending from said musical means adapted to pluck a predetermined tunein a predetermined sequence, musical scale means mounted on the framemeans adjacent the musical means and adapted to be plucked by saidplucking means in predetermined sequence, the improvement comprising:animatable display means mounted on said frame adapted to be moved, atleast in part, from one position to another including means adapted tourge said last mentioned movement, detent means for retaining saidmovable means in said one position, said musical means including releasemeans for releasing said detent means during the playing of said musicalscale at a predetermined point in said play.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said release means comprising aprotuberance means on said musical means adapted to act upon said detentmeans to release the same at a predetermined time in the playing of saidscale.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said frame means comprising asimulated clock having front, back and side walls, said display meanscomprising character means depicted on an exterior wall of said clock ofpredetermined appearance in said one position and of anotherpredetermined appearance in said other position.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said frame means comprising aclock having front, back and side walls, said movable means comprisingcharacter means depicted on an exterior wall of said clock ofpredetermined appearance in said one position and of anotherpredetermined appearance in said other position, said character meanscomprising said front wall having an opening therethrough and saidmovable means further comprising first pictorial means visible throughsaid opening in said one position and second pictorial means visiblethrough said opening in said other position.

5. A musical apparatus as defined in claim 1, said frame meanscomprising a clock having front, back and side walls, said movable meanscomprising character means depicted on an exterior wall of said clock ofpredetermined appearance in said one position and of anotherpredetermined appearance in said other position, said character meanscomprising said front wall having openings therethrough and said movablemeans further comprising first pictorial means visible through saidopening in said one position and second pictorial means visible throughsaid opening in said other position, said pictorial means being disposedon a rotatable member, means journaling said member in said front wall,said movable means further comprising an arm engageable in saidrotatable member and adapted to rotate the same to a predeterminedextent upon actuation of said detent means, said detent and releasemeans including means for stopping rotation of said rotatable member atsaid second position.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said display means part adaptedto be moved comprising shield means, said means adapted to urge saidmovement comprising: spring-urged means normally biasing said shieldmeans from said one position, a figurine means on the clock, said shieldmeans normally hiding the figurine from direct observation in said oneposition and unshielding said figurine in said other position uponactuation of said detent means by said release means.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, and audible be sounded by saidmovement of said movable means upon actuation of said release means.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said movable means comprisingshield means including spring-urged means normally biasing said shieldmeans to said one position, a figurine on the clock, said shield meansnormally hiding the figurine from direct observation in said oneposition and unshielding said figurine in said other position uponactuation of said detent means by said release means, and audible meansassociated with said movable means adapted to be sounded by saidmovement of said movable means upon actuation of said release means.

9. In an apparatus of the character described in claim 1, said displaymeans comprising figurine means pivotally mounted on said frame, saidmeans adapted to urge said movement normally urging said figurine meansfrom a pivotal position within the frame means to a pivotal position ofvisibility outside the frame means, pivotal means mounting said figurinemeans on said frame for the last-stated purpose, said display meansincluding recess means adjacent said figurine means adapted toaccommodate the movement of said figurine means from one to another ofsaid pivotal positions, said figurine means and said pivotal supportmeans being adapted normally to permit said means to returngravitationally through said recess means when not under the urgency ofsaid means adapted to urge said movement.

10. In a musical apparatus of the character described in claim 1, saidmovable part of said animatable display means comprising auditory meansassociated with said means adapted to urge said movement of displaymeans for the emission of sound by said movement.

11. In a musical apparatus of the character described in claim 1, saidmovable part of said animatable display means comprising visual meansassociated with said means and adapted to urge said movement of saiddisplay means for exposure to view by said movement.

12. In a musical apparatus of the character described in claim 1, saidmovable part of said animatable display means comprising both auditoryand visual means associated with said means adapted to urge saidmovement of said display means for emission of sound and exposure toview, respectively, by said movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS DuncanMar. 10,

